Prospector&#39;s ax and pick.



W. E. SEELYE.

PROSPEGTOR'S AX AND PICK.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 26, 1913.

1,088,938, Patented Mar. 3, 1914.

Inventor Witnesses by M Q/ I Attorneys WILLIAM E. SEELYE, OF SAULT STE. MARIE, ONTARIO, CANADA.

PROSPECTORS AX AND PICK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Hal. 3, 1914;.

Application filed July 26, 1913. Serial No. 781,359.

1 b all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. SEELYE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sault Ste. Marie, in the Province of ()11- tario and Dominion of Canada, have invented a new and useful Prospectors Ax and Pick, of which the following is a specilication.

This invention relates to improvements in a combined prospectors ax and pick, an object being to provide a combined ax and pick in which the blades are removable and new ones may be inserted as the old ones become dull from use.

A, further object is to provide a handle with a head permanently secured thereto and which head has an aperture extending transversely therethrough adapted to receive therein the shank or extension of the ax and pick blades and to further provide adequate means whereby the blades either of the cha 'acter of an ax or pick may be rigidly held in position.

A further object is to provide a tool of the class mentioned which includes a handle and head permanently secured thereto and through which head is provided a bevel ended set screw or bolt adapted to engage a notch or slot cut in the shank of the ax or pick blades to force the same into rigid and wedged relation with the head, the extreme end of the shank extending through the head to provide means whereby the blades may be loosened for the removing thereof.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention;

In the drawings accompanying this specification and forming a part thereof, the preferable form of my invention is illustrated,in which Figure 1 is a fragmental View in elevation of a tool embodying the principal characteristics of my invention in which parts thereof are broken away to more clearly illustrate the manner in which the blades are held in rigid relation to the head. Fig. 2 is an end view thereof. Figs. 3 and 4 are side and end View of the pick blade. Fig. 5 is a side view of a somewhat modified form of my invention. Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the form illustrated in Fig. 5. Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 10 are views illustrating different forms of blades which may be attached to and used in connection with my improved form of prospectors ax and pick.

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 11 represents the ordinary handle such as is used in connection with axes, picks and similar implements. Rigidly secured to the handle 11 is what is termed the head 12 the upper or top portion of which is shaped in the manner of a hammer 13. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the hammer portion 13 of the implement or tool head is of a relatively smaller width than the width of the main portion of the head so that a ledge or shoulder 14 is provided through which the shank of the blade extends, thereby rendering the blade accessible from above so that the blade may be forcibly driven from its seated position when it is desired to substitute a new blade therefor. Extending transversely through the handle 11 and through the head 12 is the wedge-shaped aperture 15 which terminates at the ledge 14. The lower extremity of the aperture 15 communicates with the longitudinally extending slot 16 of a width equal to and adapted to house within the portion 17 of the blade.

An ax blade 18 is illustrated in Fig. 1 as being operatively secured to the head 12, the securing means comprising a wedge-shaped shank 19 which extends through and beyond the ledge 14, juxtaposed which is the limited aperture 20. Threadedly engaging the head 12 and adapted to engage the side walls of the aperture 20 when the ax blade is secured to the head is the set screw 21 provided with a beveled end 22 which wedgedly engages the side walls of the said aperture 20 and forces the same upwardly to securely seat the blade 18 and shank 19 within the slot 16 and wedge-shaped aperture 15 of the head. The pick blade illustrated in Fig. 3 comprises a similar shank 19 which in turn is provided with the aperture 20 coacting in the same manner as the parts of the blade 18 designated by the similar unprimed numorals. blade illustrated in Figs. 5 to 10 inclusive differ in the fact that the implement may be used in the capacity of a hammer by sub- The modified form of head and .ture

stituting the blade illustrated in Figs. '9 and 10 which is shaped in the form of a handle head. Attention is called to the fact that in the modified form the shank of the blade extends entirely through the head of the tool or implement for the exposing of the same to blows or forces from above whereby blade may be loosened for the removing thereof. A set screw 23 extends transversely through the head 12 and which holds the various blades in position, it being noted in this conncction that the shanks of the blades are provided with the aperture 24 through which the set bolt or set screw 23 may extend.

With the device constructed as illustrated in Fig. 1, each blow or force brought to bear upon the blades tends to drive the same more securely and wedgedly in engagement with the tool head 12. Also any shocks or blows upon the hammer head 13 when being used as such results in the tightening of the blade 18 as it is thought will be readily appreciated.

The many desirable features of providing an implement of the class described with removable and various shaped blades it is thought will be readily apparent the device described being of particular importance to surveying and similar parties where it will be impractical to sharpen the blades as they become dull and which is rendered unnecessary in the present device by carrying a suitable number '0 previously sharpened blades. Also a saving in weight will be ob tained as the implement may be used as a pick, ax or other capacity, according to the shape and design of the blade which is re movably secured to the head.

Having thus fully described the invention what I claim to be new and original with me 1s:

1. In a tool of the class described, the combination of a head provided with a wedgeshaped aperture extending therethrough and terminating at a ledge, a bevel-ended set screw extending through the said head, a blade provided with a wedge-shaped shank extending through the wedge-shaped aperinthe said head, said shank provided @omen ot this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner with an opening extending transversely thereof, the side walls of said opening engageable by the beveled end of said set screw to hold the said head and blade in forced and wedged contact.

2. A tool of the class described including a handle, a head carried thereby, said head including an upper hammer forming portion, and with a ledge offset to one side thereof, said head provided with a wedgeshaped opening extending therethrough and terminating at the said ledge, the lower extremity of said head provided with a longitudinally extending slot communicating with the said wedge-shaped opening, a removable blade provided with an upwardly extending shank, said shank provided with a bore extending for a limited distance therein, a bevel-ended set screw threadedly engaging the said head juxtaposed said ledge and engaging the side walls of said shank bore adapted to force the said transversely shank into wedged relation with the wedgeshaped opening of the head, the body portion of the blade adapted to fit within the head longitudinal slot.

3. In a tool of the class described, the combination of a head provided with a lower longitudinally extending groove and a wedge-shaped aperture communicating therewith and extending entirely through said head, a blade provided with an upwardly extending wedge-shaped shank, the said shank extending within the wedgeshaped aperture and with a portion of the blade fittingwithin said head longitudinal groove, and means extending through said head wedgedly engaging the wedgeshaped shank and adapted to force the latter in forced contact with the head aperture, to thereby hold said blade rigidly and detachably secured thereto.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

\VILLIAM E. SEELYE.

l/Vitnesses:

RI-IEA KAUPP, Gno. l/V. Snows.

of Patents,

Washington, D. c." 

